Suddenly a lot more clients will be stressing over the tax-management rigors of the AMT. Without Congress’ annual adjustment to the AMT, this special tax on the wealthy will start applying to nearly 30 million new households, including some with incomes of just $45,000. For perspective, only 4 million households were subject to AMT in Click to Continue

Fixed Indexed Universal Life (FIUL) has been one of the fastest growing products in 2012 and shows no signs of letting up in 2013 as savers and investors increasingly look at Life Insurance as a separate asset class in a zero rate world and where tax rates are cratering at their last gasp of all Click to Continue

As Washington headed home for the Eggnog and Cookies ignoring Fiscal Cliff Concerns, the mea culpa is being diagnosed and figured into disgusted public opinion tracking polls across the fruited plain. Santa Claus is still popular. I really like Santa Claus. After all the Madoff experiences of the last few years, it’s really nice to Click to Continue

You will want to know about all aspects of your retirement finances, but your first step should be obtaining your Social Security statement. This document is similar to your 401(k) statement, in that it lists the current status of your personal Social Security account. Unlike your 401(k) statement, however, Your Social Security Statement is not Click to Continue

The cartoonists, pundits, and fate followers will be poking their usual fun at the tradition of making New New year resolutions this weekend on Meet the Depressed and saucy tabloids. Despite all the ribbing, I have found they are quite useful in establishing a foundation of visions, dreams and goals for the year ahead Click to Continue

There are deadlines to meet in order to receive tax breaks for saving for retirement. There are also some key dates that retirees must be aware of in order to avert unnecessary tax penalty. Below are some key dates upcoming for retirees: The due date for contributions to 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457s, and federal Thrift Click to Continue

a result of the Bush tax cuts, married couples get a standard deduction that’s exactly twice that of individuals. And the income ranges for the 10% and 15% tax brackets are also doubled.Prior to 2001, many married couples had paid a “penalty” because their standard deduction and income tax brackets were less than twice those Click to Continue

Many people are postponing their year end financial decisions until Washington decides what to do with expiring tax measures, including those affecting dividends and capital gains. The Roth IRA is partly a play on income-tax rates – you make contributions to a Roth with after-tax money and then don’t owe income tax again. If Click to Continue

In the wake of Sun Life’s decision to unload its U.S. annuity business, the question arises of whether annuities are too risky for insurance companies to be involved in. The company’s press release had a tone that seemed to be more about risk reduction than profit taking and really signified a change for the company’s Click to Continue

According to an SEI Quick Poll released today, clients remain nervous about the coming year yet their advisors are overwhelmingly positive about 2013 with only 14 percent expecting it to be worse than 2012. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of advisors polled said they believe their clients are apprehensive about 2013. Less than one percent of Click to Continue